Category Archives: Life

Starting 2016 the right way

I was reading Nikki over at Midlifechic.com the other day. Her Project Happier really struck a chord with me.

I am a naturally outgoing person, being a Leo, and mostly love being around other people. I would say 90% of the time I am naturally happy and I always tend to take things in my stride. Over the past couple of years though that remaining 10% has raised it’s ugly head more regularly than I’d like.

I think I’ve always felt a sense of loss since moving to Atlanta. As much as I love living here, grief at having ‘lost’ my life in the UK can occur. It’s a sense of ‘loss’ and ‘being lost’. In 2015 I think it was exacerbated by my melanoma diagnosis. As amazing as my husband and family are, it was trying going through something so traumatic away from ‘home’. I went on anti-depressants for a while which ultimately led to a 40lb weight gain in a very short period of time. At the end of the year I decided the pills weren’t really needed and that the weight gain was probably exacerbating any ‘sadness’ I was experiencing. So I am starting 2016 with my own ‘Project Happiness’. I’m going to tackle that troublesome 10% and flip it to HAPPY!

I’ve started with a clean eating program – Whole30. I’ve always exercised frequently – if you follow on Instagram myself and a few others still use #PSFitClub for motivation. It’s now time to fix my food intake. I yo-yo a lot and I LOVE food. Living in the South with fried grits, biscuits and fried chicken does not help! So instead of following a ‘diet’ I have immersed myself in what I hope will be a ‘lifestyle’ change. In fact I have just taken the kids to their favorite diner for breakfast before school resumes tomorrow, and as torturous as I knew it would be watching them consume pancakes and syrup and vanilla milkshakes, I actually really enjoyed my omelette with sliced tomato. Honest! Whole30 isn’t supposed to be about weight loss – more to do with resetting your digestive system and ridding yourself of sugar cravings, but I’m hoping with the workouts I will be on the right path to regaining my svelte figure in a healthy manner. It’s also supposed to help your mind too – it really is compelling reading. I’ll keep you posted and my Instagram will give you a glimpse of my daily eating and challenges if you are interested!

Jumper – Everlane // Coat – Zara // Bag – Mansur Gavriel // Jeans – Zara (old) // Sneakers – Nike Air Max

Sneakers – Nike Thea in Olive // Pants – Reebok (on sale here) // Jumper – H&M // Bag – Mansur Gavriel // Hat – Nordstrom (old but blue on sale here)

Recovery

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I am so, so tired today, but I’m struggling through! The struggle is eased by the fun memories of my birthday! My family yet again went above and beyond to make it a special day. Everywhere I looked there were little stickers with my face on them, and my husband made a card with a blog photo from every month of last year!

We dined out last night at an amazing new steak house in Atlanta – Marcel – just exquisite – certainly an indulgent treat! For the occasion I wore the AllSaints Noir dress which I purchased in the sales. It was perfect – no waist to hinder over consumption! It has a cool zipper neck line which I love – it gives a little edginess to a LBD.

Dress – AllSaints // Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Bag – YSL

As I was searching for the sandals online (now on sale at just £19!) I came across this flat version at M&S – be quick – you know they are bound to sell out! There is also a closed toe heeled version here.

Today and yesterday during the day were very casual. Jeans and sneakers – my favorite ensemble!

Sneakers – Stan Smith Adidas // Jeans – J.Crew boyfriend jeans // T-shirt – J.Crew

Jeans – J.Crew (30% off with SHOPMORE) // Top – AllSaints (old) // Sneakers – Golden Goose (on sale here reduced to $167 from $555)

I cannot believe I contemplated not getting these Golden Goose! They still have limited sizes available on sale here. I am wearing what is marked as a US 9 online, and they fit true to a Eur 39.

Okay I’m off for a lie down before the kids get home and I have to attempt 4th grade homework again!

Back to school

Shoes – TopShop // Dress – AllSaints // Jacket – J.Crew

On Friday I took the kids to meet my piercing guru, Richard, at PiercingExp.com. My sparkly septum ring had finally arrived and I LOVE it. It’s a Gem Oaktier in solid rose gold with genuine white sapphires.

Shoes – J.Crew (on sale) // Jeans – J.Crew // Top – Madewell (on sale)

On a final, sad note – an Atlanta mom of two small girls died on Sunday after a mystery illness took hold. Nothing can take away the pain for her girls, but the community here is trying to get tickets for the girls to see Taylor Swift when she tours here. T.V. stations and news stations have got hold of the story so if you feel inclined please help us and Tweet with hashtag #wishes4riley and #bigdreamslittlegirl – thank you so much.

No more cancer

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So the melanoma is gone! This morning I underwent a procedure under a local anesthetic where a large circumference of skin was removed. Pretty freakin’ freaky when you can see and hear him snipping away a massive area of skin and then the needle and thread pulling everything together again! My palms were sweaty and I kept focusing on the ceiling! I have to say my surgeon was amazing, and he reassured me that it was on the cusp i.e. just turning to Stage 0 melanoma, so my frustration over previous checks ignoring it was probably unfounded. I now have a good 4-5 inch long incision that will hopefully heal fast! Thank goodness I worked out like a banshee last week as I can’t do anything now till the stitches are removed. For updates and gory photos check me out on Instagram!

Needless to say I opted for comfy clothes today.

Sneakers – Nike Lunar Air Max // Pants – Nike Avant // Top – Mango // Glasses – Oliver Peoples Wacks

As I have been working out so much over the past week I have spent most days in workout gear. Saturday was one of the few days I ‘got dressed’ and we took the kids out for a ‘fancy lunch’ 🙂

Sneakers – Adidas Stan Smiths // Trousers – Mango leather (currently 50% off in sale) // Jumper – Zara (old) // Scarf – Asos

See you all soon! Off to recuperate on the sofa with a slice of pizza and Netflix!

NYFW trip part 1

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Phew – back in Atlanta. I love going away but I love coming home even more! It was actually a fabulously indulgent weekend on my own, which involved shopping, eating and a party for good measure! I have to say, of all my visits to NYC, this was by far the hottest and most humid it has ever been – it was pretty uncomfortable – so I had to keep popping in lovely places for the air conditioning 🙂

Before I left I had my haircut – thanks to Chadd and Gina yet again for making me feel absolutely amazing – no clothes can do what a great haircut can.

To travel in I wore my James Perse wrap dress and Golden Goose glitter sneakers – I was in such a rush for the cab I didn’t get a full length shot! Atlanta Hartsfield airport certainly got an eyeful of my cleavage though!

Of course I had the obligatory cocktail before boarding.

I was starving when I arrived so after dropping my bags at the InterContinental, Times Square I jumped on the Subway straight down to SoHo. My first meal had to be a Jack’s Wife Freda. I’d been fantasizing about it ever since I was there back at the end of May with Cali. It’s one of those great bar/restaurants where I could eat every meal from breakfast to dinner – and I almost did!

I then ended up in AllSaints around the corner – how convenient! I purchased the amazing Agi dress (UK 12) and the incredible Haff sweater (Medium) – I just love a cold shoulder and it makes this chunky knit super sexy! You must visit the SoHo location when you are next there – the staff are brilliant and could not have been more helpful. Trying on knits in 90 degree heat was not my idea of fun and they were super accommodating.

To celebrate my purchases I popped into Balthazar for a margarita.

You may notice I did also manage to find time to nip into Uniqlo for my Husband. Last year I bought their great Men’s cashmere crewnecks for myself and this year he requested the cardigans – the quality is outstanding for $99!

That turned out to be enough excitement for Friday – and I was in bed by 8pm!! How things change!

I’ll be back with all the exciting events of Saturday soon! Now off to take my sweet fur babies out for a walk – I missed them like crazy!

Perimenopause and depression

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Years ago I had a dear friend who ‘suffered from depression’. I thought she was just feeling a bit down and tried to cajole her with ‘pull yourself together’, ‘have another drink you’ll be fine’, and the best was ‘stop wallowing’. I had no idea what depression was – in fact I blamed its existence on the great US drug companies creating paranoid patients and encouraging them to run to their doctors to request expensive medication.

But then it happened to me – I realized I was suffering from mild depression.

Almost exactly a year ago I came back from vacation and cried for about 2 weeks. I thought I was homesick. Being back in Europe had rekindled my desire to go home and I felt torn, confused and frustrated that our wonderful life here, with so many roots and ties, meant that we would never be able to move back to the UK. But at the same time I really didn’t actually want to move back. But I felt lonely, sad and mad. I thought it would pass and put it down to post vacation blues.

Then I started having hormonal changes – night sweats, insomnia and irregular bleeding. I decided to go to the Doctors. I felt like I was falling apart. I was also dealing with another patch of alopecia and I was miserable. I sat in the Drs office and burst into sobs – it was great to be able to tell someone how I was feeling.

It turns out I am perimenopausal. Basically my body is preparing for menopause. Only problem is the perimenopause can last years. My wonderful Doctor also diagnosed me as mildly depressed as a result of my messed up endocrinology. However, now I know the symptoms of depression, I’m pretty sure I have suffered from it on and off all my life – especially after the birth of Poppy. Alone, away from home, and with a new baby I convinced myself I was fine – how could happy go-lucky, extroverted, chatty Joanna ever be depressed?

My point is if you feel sad and lonely talk to someone about it. Many of us have experienced it. In fact since the sad death of Robin Williams my Facebook wall has been full of fellow sufferers revealing themselves. These days I am happier than ever and feel relieved that my endocrine and neurochemical imbalances can be rectified by 2 pills a day. Drugs are there for a reason – many of us need them!

Don’t worry I’ll be back with frivolous clothes tomorrow:)

4 days to go till…

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…I turn 43! Crumbs! How DID that happen? I still feel 21 and act like it most of the time, much to the chagrin of my children. When I look back life so far has been kind to me, though I often wonder what roles fate, destiny or pure luck have played. When I was 21 I never imagined I’d be an American citizen living in Atlanta, or that I would end up working in magazine publishing of all things, never mind working with my Husband! My dreams back then were of becoming a high flying financier or consultant. I started on that ladder for a while and then quickly realized I was most unsuitable for it – I don’t care for hard work 🙂 Having fun, indulging in my hobbies (errr clothes and wine…), chatting with dear friends, and having adventures suits me far better. So here I am about to turn 43 and wondering where my 40s will lead me. All I wish for is health and happiness for my loved ones. Can you tell I feeling a little introspective?

Sneakers – Adidas Samoas // Jeans – H&M // Top – Zara

Food and Wine.

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I refuse to worry about weight gain whilst on vacation – especially when I know I’m starting training for another half marathon on my return. I might as well enjoy the last few weeks of indulgence hey? Spanish food is deceptive – small portions of fresh food make you think it’s all good, but there’s lots of fried patatas, fish and meats all washed down with sangria or cava – and well – it’s easy to see it ain’t all that healthy. But boy it is good. I can safely say we have eaten better food on this vacation than any other. Consistently great, fresh food and you don’t feel ripped off when you pay the bill.

Yesterday we ate by the beach in La Heradurra. A beautiful, old school resort town with no high rises in sight. The shingle beach is clean and the Med is crystal clear – I could live here forever. I should mention too that the Spaniards we have encountered are incredibly friendly and also especially accommodating of children – nothing has been too much trouble for them.

I forgot a full length photo but I was wearing my fabulous ASOS swing dress (I have this in grey, black and white – the best, most versatile holiday dress ever!), J. Crew bikini and white birkenstocks – the most appropriate footwear I brought with me!

Yesterday evening we grilled steaks and drank red wine whilst reminiscing with Simon and Karin.

Top – Mango // Shorts – J.Crew // Shoes – Birkenstock Chania (best holiday shoes EVER)

Today was market day in Orgiva. First a few points about Orgiva – I adore it here, BUT if you are looking for a sanitized, white washed setting this is not the place for you. It is a relaxed, bohemian, new age, accepting-of-all type of place – in fact my piercings feel pretty lacking here:) There are young, old, Brits, Spanish, travelers and tourists here – you name it, Orgiva has it. The market was fabulous and we came home with wine, bread, jewelry, harems and roast chickens!

Simon and Karin leave us tomorrow so we will no doubt be up rather late tonight. We have another week of bliss before heading home. I am so lucky to have all this time abroad with the people I love. My Cava beckons but first I must remind everyone to check out the MiH jeans on Asos – they are MASSIVELY reduced and worth trying with free returns available!

The Alhambra and tapas.

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After a day lazing on the beach near Motril yesterday, we headed out for some proper sight seeing today. Just 45 minutes North lies the beautiful city of Granada.

Spain became my top pick for our vacation destination this year after seeing Anthony Bourdain visit Granada on his series ‘Parts Unknown‘. Granada relies almost entirely on tourism for it’s revenue, and is the location of the stunning Alhambra Palace – one of the best examples of Moorish architecture. Thankfully we booked tickets before we departed for Spain as the queues were huge even at 9am this morning – though not that surprising really given it was almost 38 degrees celsius at midday when we were leaving. If you ever head to Andalucia the Alhambra is a must see – it is spectacular and incredibly romantic offering some amazing views of Granada and the Sierra Nevadas.

My dress is River Island, bought from ASOS. Incredibly comfortable for the heat though I did nearly come a cropper when I stood on it walking up the stairs in the castle!

After the Alhambra we met up with Simon and Karin who are staying with us this week. Lots of fun, laughter, chat and wine of course! We headed to one of the most highly rated Tapas Bars in Granada – the Bodegas Espadafor. When you order a drink you get free tapas – at least in this part of Spain. We ate sausage, squid, croquettes, paella, broad beans and ham – just the most amazing food – all washed down with beer and sherry – well for us non-drivers at least;)

Finally I forgot about this outfit photo from our last night in Sevilla. The M&S playsuit got an outing with the Oslo sandals from Nine West – the most comfortable sandals that I own – and they are now in the sale.

My New York City trip!

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I am tired. Very, very tired, but happy. Very, very happy.

My great friend, Cali, and I arrived in NYC at around midday on Saturday. The weather was perfect – blue skies and a cool breeze. We stayed in the Holiday Inn on Lafayette Street – which I have to say was the PERFECT location in the middle of SoHo.

My travel attire: Sneakers – Stan Smiths // Jeans – J.Crew // T-shirt – Ted Baker (old but similar here) // Cardigan – J.Crew

We headed straight out for lunch and found a fabulous place called Delicatessen for mussels and fries. They also had a ‘Macbar’ so we couldn’t resist the opportunity to taste the mac ‘n’ cheese with confit of duck – as rich and amazing as it sounds!

After a bottle of prosecco it was time to flex the credit card and we walked around the corner to AllSaints – how convenient that their sale had just started in store! It hasn’t started online yet so keep your eyes peeled here. I got a couple of great bargains along with the Rae dress that I just couldn’t resist.

That night we headed out for cocktails at The Pegu Club – of course the new dress was worn. A fabulous conclusion to a great first day!

Sunday morning began bright and early with maybe the BEST breakfast I have ever had at Jack’s Wife Freda. I had rose water waffle with fruit, and a lovely pot of tea – unfortunately we were even too early for mimosas to be served on a Sunday!

My #selfie – sorry no full length outfit shot, but I was wearing the ASOS maxi dress and my favorite Nars Yu lip pencil. The dress is perfect and even one of the assistants in Barney’s stopped me to tell me she had just ordered it.

It was then time to head Uptown where we enjoyed pounding the streets and window shopping – but of course we also had to get some gifts from the American Girl Store and then head to Barney’s for a cocktail. It was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.

Early that evening we rushed out to an Irish bar near Times Square to meet Avril and see the Belfast Community Gospel Choir perform. We walked in to the most rousing, amazing sounds. Both Cali and I ended up in tears for the next hour – their singing was so amazing. I have never felt so emotionally moved by a choir – being with fabulous friends, in NYC created an incredible experience that I will never forget. Of course I tried to claim a spot in the choir too:)

Cali and I departed and made our way back downtown…arriving back at our hotel at a little past 4am. Yep we made the most of it – Russian vodka bars and Speakeasy bars included.

We managed to rally on Monday to meet up with Avril and Gemma Louise at Balthazars for Avril’s birthday lunch. Cider with ice cubes helped the head:)

So today has been tough to say the least, but amazing memories made with amazing friends have made it easier. I feel very fortunate that I have such a supportive family that let me run off for a weekend of fun with brilliant friends who I love dearly – thanks for making it great Cali, Avril and Gemma Louise!

Shoes – Ancient Greek // Bag – Alexander Wang Rocco (old similar here) // Jeans – J.Crew // Top – AllSaints Tiko tee // Jacket – my new AllSaints Walker jacket bought in the sale not online right now

Poppy's Style

My blog about fashion, family, friends and fun.

Category Archives: Life

Starting 2016 the right way

Jumper – Everlane // Coat – Zara // Bag – Mansur Gavriel // Jeans – Zara (old) // Sneakers – Nike Air Max

Sneakers – Nike Thea in Olive // Pants – Reebok (on sale here) // Jumper – H&M // Bag – Mansur Gavriel // Hat – Nordstrom (old but blue on sale here)

Recovery

Dress – AllSaints // Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Bag – YSL

Sneakers – Stan Smith Adidas // Jeans – J.Crew boyfriend jeans // T-shirt – J.Crew

Jeans – J.Crew (30% off with SHOPMORE) // Top – AllSaints (old) // Sneakers – Golden Goose (on sale here reduced to $167 from $555)

Back to school

Shoes – TopShop // Dress – AllSaints // Jacket – J.Crew

Shoes – J.Crew (on sale) // Jeans – J.Crew // Top – Madewell (on sale)

No more cancer

NYFW trip part 1

Perimenopause and depression

4 days to go till…

Sneakers – Adidas Samoas // Jeans – H&M // Top – Zara

Food and Wine.

Top – Mango // Shorts – J.Crew // Shoes – Birkenstock Chania (best holiday shoes EVER)

The Alhambra and tapas.

My New York City trip!

My travel attire: Sneakers – Stan Smiths // Jeans – J.Crew // T-shirt – Ted Baker (old but similar here) // Cardigan – J.Crew

Shoes – Ancient Greek // Bag – Alexander Wang Rocco (old similar here) // Jeans – J.Crew // Top – AllSaints Tiko tee // Jacket – my new AllSaints Walker jacket bought in the sale not online right now

Jumper – Everlane // Coat – Zara // Bag – Mansur Gavriel // Jeans – Zara (old) // Sneakers – Nike Air Max

Sneakers – Nike Thea in Olive // Pants – Reebok (on sale here) // Jumper – H&M // Bag – Mansur Gavriel // Hat – Nordstrom (old but blue on sale here)

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Dress – AllSaints // Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Bag – YSL

Sneakers – Stan Smith Adidas // Jeans – J.Crew boyfriend jeans // T-shirt – J.Crew

Jeans – J.Crew (30% off with SHOPMORE) // Top – AllSaints (old) // Sneakers – Golden Goose (on sale here reduced to $167 from $555)

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Shoes – TopShop // Dress – AllSaints // Jacket – J.Crew

Shoes – J.Crew (on sale) // Jeans – J.Crew // Top – Madewell (on sale)

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Sneakers – Adidas Samoas // Jeans – H&M // Top – Zara

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Top – Mango // Shorts – J.Crew // Shoes – Birkenstock Chania (best holiday shoes EVER)

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My travel attire: Sneakers – Stan Smiths // Jeans – J.Crew // T-shirt – Ted Baker (old but similar here) // Cardigan – J.Crew

Shoes – Ancient Greek // Bag – Alexander Wang Rocco (old similar here) // Jeans – J.Crew // Top – AllSaints Tiko tee // Jacket – my new AllSaints Walker jacket bought in the sale not online right now

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